U.S. Sen. Isakson will oppose Bipartisan Budget Act

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., said Thursday that he would vote against the Bipartisan Budget Act that passed the House of Representatives.

“I cannot support a bill that raises the debt ceiling to an unspecified amount,” Isakson said. “Further, this bill undoes many of the achievements of the Budget Control Act by allowing for increased government spending without the inclusion of critical reforms to address our deficits and long-term debt.

“While this legislation takes a positive step toward securing long-term savings through structural reforms to Social Security, we must go further to reform mandatory spending programs in order to get our debt under control. It is critically important that we get our nation’s finances in order and make meaningful spending cuts so we do not continue to mortgage our children’s and grandchildren’s futures.”

The House voted 266-167 to pass the two-year budget deal negotiated by outgoing Speaker John Boehner, the White House and other congressional leaders. The plan, which drew support from only 79 of the 247 House Republicans, would extend the federal debt limit through March 2017 and ease automatic spending caps to add $80 billion in new discretionary spending over two years.

U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Albany, supported the passage of the act. “After years of damage due to sequestration, the bipartisan budget agreement as passed by the House finally represents a step in the right direction,” Bishop said. “Reflecting the values held by many in Georgia, we have worked across the aisle to pass a budget to protect our seniors, invest in job training and veterans’ medical care, and keep America safe. …”

“The budget compromise will avert a manufactured crisis, help our economy continue to strengthen, and provide crucial investment in our nation’s future as the agreement is major step forward for education, health care research, and our economy.”

It did not get the support of another Southwest Georgia lawmaker, U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Tifton.

“This budget deal allows for a trillion dollar increase in the national debt, increases spending by more than $80 billion, gives agencies more authority to fine, and all of this in a piece of legislation that Members of Congress were informed of less than 48 hours prior to final passage,” Scott said. “It is clear that the authorizing committees were not consulted when one of the provisions is a change to crop insurance that was originally rejected in a bipartisan manner by the House Agriculture Committee in the last Farm Bill.”